


Heat Rises

by FreshBrains



Series: Femslash 100 Drabble tag 6 [42]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Ending, Closeted Character, Community: femslash100, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Holding Hands, POV Prim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 22:25:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4280190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreshBrains/pseuds/FreshBrains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Watching Katniss die is like watching the mine collapse again—Prim’s world is filled with smoke and haze, her vision clouded, her senses muffled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heat Rises

**Author's Note:**

> For the Femslash100 Drabble Tag 6 prompt from LJ-user temari778: Prim/Rue - fireplace.
> 
> AU starting at the end of _The Hunger Games_.

Watching Katniss die is like watching the mine collapse again—Prim’s world is filled with smoke and haze, her vision clouded, her senses muffled.

And in the billow of smoke coming from the hearth remains the outline of a frightened girl from District 11.

Rue is a beautiful girl, a girl Prim knows she could love like she’s loved other girls at school, but she’s also the girl who watched Katniss eat poison berries and had to watch, bewildered and in shock, as Katniss died right in front of her. There’s no room for love there—only wide eyes and the sound of guttural choking ringing endlessly on deaf ears.

Prim knows helplessness. She’s helpless, and so is Rue.

When Rue comes for the Victory Tour, the crowds in the market are quiet, knowing Rue isn’t the enemy but still not ready to celebrate her. But Rue enters Prim’s home without shame, looks at Katniss’ bed and her boots still on the floor, listens to the empty sobbing coming from Prim’s mom in the kitchen. She pulls bread and fruit from her pockets.

Rue lights a fire and takes Prim’s hand, eyes never leaving the flames. She wears Katniss’ Mockingjay pin on her chest and does not offer to give it back to Prim. That’s the part of Katniss that she keeps.


End file.
